Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1887-03-14
THATINTERVIEW.

Party and Organ Depart company
An Idea Of the Conversation that
Must have Taken Place in the Sane
tum Of the Rock Islander" once.
Editor Argus:
Rock ISLAND, ILL, March 14.-There
really was an interview If what trans
pired were made public, it is generally
thought it would be unusually interest
ing reading matter. Even the report of
the interview as made by the committee
to the labor convention on Friday last
and the consequences which followed the
report in the unanimous vote of the con
vention that the Rock ISLANDER should no
longer be, or be recognized as, the organ
OF the new born party, present some re-
Elections OF both an interesting aad a
melancholy character. Owing to the
vagueness of the committees report. and
the summary action Of the convention it
is much to be regretted that short.
| terview, so that the exact language of the
committee and the editor could be given
as it was spoken at the time. 1t is I'M
derstood, however, to have been quite
pathetic on the side of the committee,
and exceedingly digniied and independ>
ant on the part of the editor The unex-
pected attitude OF the respective parties
at this interview, and the particular
causes which led to the interview itself,
are doubtless suggestive of the true in
| wardness of the situation TO an extent
greater that either committee or editor
| would care to make known to the public.
First of all, thea, away back behind the
appointment of the committee of
conference naturally arises the query
| what was the cdusa cdusdns, what
was the necessity, and why was there an
interview at ali? For years the red0ubt
able editor has proclaimed his unqualified
devotion to labor and business interests,
| has led the van of the labor party in
this locality, and has always been prompt
to spur the laggards forward to acts of
greater zeal and energy. Heretofore,
, certainly, he has ranked high in energy
and ability, and been everywhere recog-
nizsd as chief among the leaders(0 Why
| question his standing aud authority now.
| The new born union labor party still ad-
here's to the same line of policy anu
seeks to accomplish the same objects as
heretofore, ard only claims to be seek
ing a more perfect organization of all
iaoog associations aud a more direct
| application of lis numbers to the uaachin
cry of politics. Wherein, then, is the
editor deficient or disqualified to bear
alof; the noble standard OF the newly
organized brotherhood. At first blush
| it would most assuredly be thought the
new party and editor would be mutually
attracted and indissolubly united in the
common purpose of promoting the sue
cess Of their common interests, and that
there would be no inharmony, no pos
sible necessity of committee and an
interview to reconcile party and organ.
Nevertheless there was committee
actually appointed to interview the ed
itor, and there was an interview, and
there were things said aud done at that
interview which eliminated in the con-
vention's refusing TO have the Rack
Is lander any longer for an organ. This
interview and subsequent results place
the hitherto venerable and venerated
editor in the position of az apes
tate if he de1es the dictunl
OF the convention, or, if he
acouiesces and pockets the snub, it makes
him an humble camp follower and coffee
cooler in the rear ranks. Probably there
is no greater mistake in political life than
for an editor to persist too long in acting
dignifed and maintaining an unrelenting
hardness of heart toward an humble and
suppliart interviewer A little sternness
of speech and severity of countenance is
admissible at first, as il great offenses
and INSTRUMENTATION should not be easily
overlooked, buka gracious yielding in the
end, sweetened with noble forgiveness
of the past, and cordial welcome TO con
fidencs il the future. is worth tons and
tons of editorial thunder.
Notwithstanding many plausible con-
lectures. the real object Of the committee
and the unaccustamed asperity Of the ed
itor are still enshrouded in secrecy. Il
it were possible 10 lift the veil which
carefully conoesls the incidents Of tha
stormy interview; if the faithful anf
earnest enlreaties of friend in behalf Of
pros ective candidate made to the elem
ency and forbearaucs of the editor could
only be set forth; If the editors naughty
assumption of personal independence, in
difference and refusal TO support the
prospective candidate, could be clearly
made known to the mystified public; i
, the true inwardness were brought to light
doubtless the mystery of the labor part,
refusing to accept the Rock Islander TO
its organ would CEASE to be mystery a
! all.
> Still 1t is not at ali probable either TO
editor or committee will crafty the publ
curiosity or enlishten the public in regsr
! to any essential incidents of that notet
e interview. The public. therefore. mus
content itself with exhibiting its feeling
of sympathy and coincidence with eithe
committee or editor es inclination ma
D chance to direct. The real philosophy c
t the situation is this, that politicians ar
c always delighted to see the dear publ
successfully humbugged.
DIsNTEREsTED OBSERVER.
Rays from the Headlight.
Il TIE C B. & O nav car came